CJ Vanston has spent decades shaping the sound of music from behind the console, inside the studio, and on stages around the world. A producer, songwriter, film composer, keyboardist, and arranger, Vanston’s career stretches from touring with Joe Cocker and working with Toto, Def Leppard, and Prince, to composing music for Christopher Guest classics, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind.
During his appearance on The Jeremiah Show, Vanston reflected on the winding path that led him from jazz clubs and funk bands in the Midwest to becoming one of the industry’s most respected musical collaborators.
Much of the conversation centers on Speed of Heat, the long-awaited solo album from Jeff Skunk Baxter, which Vanston co-produced and co-wrote over more than a decade. The record blends rock, cinematic textures, and virtuoso musicianship while featuring collaborations with artists including Michael McDonald and Clint Black. Vanston described the project less as a calculated album and more as “the stuff we love,” built organically through years of creative trust with Baxter dating back to their early studio days together in Chicago.
Vanston also shared candid insight into the changing music industry, the disappearance of traditional session work, and the importance of developing a personal creative voice beyond technical ability alone. While discussing the renewed cultural attention surrounding This Is Spinal Tap and the possibility of future projects connected to the franchise, he emphasized that the strongest music always comes from lived experience rather than formulas or trends. It’s a perspective erned through decades inside some of music’s most legendary rooms — and one that continues to shape Vanston’s work today.
Listen to the two-part interview here: PART I, PART II
Photos: CJ Vanston Facebook
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